The Blind Chick

Dr. Charles Powell: Breaking Stereotypes, Building Legacy (Part 3)


Listen Later

In this powerful conclusion to our three-part series with Dr. Charles Powell, we dive into his inspiring story of perseverance, professionalism, and pride. Charles shares a transformative moment in his career—an interview that turned into a life-changing opportunity with one of the largest oil and gas companies in the country. With authenticity and passion, he breaks down the stereotypes placed on the blind community—both from the outside world and within.
We talk about technology, independence, appearance, work ethic, and the need to raise the bar—not just for others to see what’s possible, but so our own community stops selling itself short. Dr. Powell also opens up about the influence of his blind grandfather, who ran a working farm with grit and dignity long before there was assistive technology.
This episode is a rally cry to challenge assumptions, claim our value, and celebrate the unsung mentors whose stories shaped us long before hashtags or headlines.

Key Topics Covered:
How Dr. Powell landed a role with a billion-dollar company
Challenging and embracing stereotypes in the blind community
Personal pride, grooming, and presentation as advocacy
Honoring the legacy of blind family members who paved the way
The role of representation in media and mentorship
The growing movement of disability pride and leadership
Why we must let go of control and allow purpose to grow organically

Quotable Moments:
“I didn’t do all this to prove I was blind and could do it. I did it because I wanted to contribute to my family.” – Dr. Charles Powell
“We need to break our own stereotypes before we expect the world to.” – Dr. Charles Powell
“You don't need a big start. Just start. The movement is already growing.” – Penn Street

Chapter Markers:
00:00 – Welcome and Introduction to Part 3 with Dr. Charles Powell
01:08 – Charles Returns to Finish His Story: The Job Interview That Changed Everything
03:40 – Showcasing Assistive Tech in the Interview
05:15 – The Surprise CEO Reveal and Job Offer
06:55 – Working for a Billion-Dollar Company
08:20 – Breaking Stereotypes from the Inside
10:30 – Blind Pride: Dressing, Grooming, and Showing Up
12:05 – Public Perception vs. Blind Capability
13:40 – Changing the Narrative Within the Blind Community
15:05 – Penn Reflects on Representation and Role Models
16:30 – Building a Movement: Connection, Advocacy, and Collaboration
18:25 – Celebrate the Wins and Keep the Fire Burning
20:00 – Charles on Legacy: Honoring His Blind Grandfather
23:00 – The Real Motivation: Family, Not Fame
25:10 – Penn on Learning from Her Mom’s Low Vision Journey
26:30 – Closing Remarks and Call to Action
28:00 – Gratitude for the Audience and Aftersight Team
28:45 – Final Encouragement: Be Kind to Yourself and Others

Final Words from Penn:
“To all our listeners: thank you for making The Blind Chick a top-ranked show. Your ratings, your shares, your belief in what we’re doing—it’s everything. This week, be kind to yourself. Be kind to someone else. It’s good for your soul.”

Connect with Dr. Charles Powell:
You can find Dr. Powell and his organization, Divine Visions, online to learn more about his advocacy, consulting, and business support services.

Stay in Touch:
Follow The Blind Chick on your favorite podcast platform, leave a five-star review, and join us next week for another empowering conversation.

Produced by:
Jonathan Price at Aftersight | [email protected] | (720) 712-8856
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Blind ChickBy Aftersight

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

17 ratings


More shows like The Blind Chick

View all
Stuff You Should Know by iHeartPodcasts

Stuff You Should Know

78,293 Listeners

Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

44,010 Listeners

Double Tap by Double Tap Productions Inc.

Double Tap

27 Listeners

Meaningful People by Meaningful Minute

Meaningful People

1,970 Listeners

Huberman Lab by Scicomm Media

Huberman Lab

29,176 Listeners

The Atlas Obscura Podcast by SiriusXM and Atlas Obscura

The Atlas Obscura Podcast

1,713 Listeners

Short History Of... by NOISER

Short History Of...

2,748 Listeners

Grand Junction Sentinel by Aftersight

Grand Junction Sentinel

1 Listeners

High Country News by Aftersight

High Country News

2 Listeners

Aftersight Presents: The Christian Science Monitor by Aftersight

Aftersight Presents: The Christian Science Monitor

3 Listeners

Opera News by Aftersight

Opera News

1 Listeners

Colorado Kitchen Stories by Aftersight

Colorado Kitchen Stories

1 Listeners

Denver Urban Spectrum by Aftersight

Denver Urban Spectrum

3 Listeners

Prairie Times by Aftersight

Prairie Times

1 Listeners

Pikes Peak Courier by Aftersight

Pikes Peak Courier

1 Listeners

50 Plus Marketplace FrontRange by Aftersight

50 Plus Marketplace FrontRange

1 Listeners

Audio File Magazine by Aftersight

Audio File Magazine

1 Listeners

National Geographic en Español by Aftersight

National Geographic en Español

15 Listeners

Catholic News by Aftersight

Catholic News

1 Listeners

Grocery Ads King Soopers by Aftersight

Grocery Ads King Soopers

1 Listeners

Commerce City Connected by Aftersight

Commerce City Connected

0 Listeners

Navigating Life with Vision Loss by Aftersight

Navigating Life with Vision Loss

5 Listeners

Adams County News by Aftersight

Adams County News

0 Listeners

Blind Level Tech by Aftersight

Blind Level Tech

15 Listeners

Model Railroader by Aftersight

Model Railroader

0 Listeners

Salud y Cocinar by Aftersight

Salud y Cocinar

0 Listeners

Volunteer Spotlight by Aftersight

Volunteer Spotlight

0 Listeners

The Disability Diaries With Steven Vine by Steven Vine

The Disability Diaries With Steven Vine

3 Listeners

Tehillim Unveiled by Ari Levisohn and Rav Jeremy Tibbetts

Tehillim Unveiled

3 Listeners